Romance Rumor du Jour: Taylor Swift Ditched by British Actor?

Wonderwall, Wednesday, February 8, 2012, 10:43am (PST)

By Kat Giantis

• Taylor Swift seems to be having a rough start to 2012. Not only did she lose out on the role of Eponine in the big-screen adaptation of "Les Miserables," but she also missed out on the chance to cozy up to her would-be co-star, Eddie Redmayne, says Us Weekly.

  The pair apparently hit it off during the doll-faced chart-topper's audition process.

  "They hung out in New York City with the movie's execs," tattles an insider (via Hollywood Life). "And Taylor developed feelings for him fast."

  A big part of the actor's appeal (presumably besides his cheekbones): "Taylor loved the image of a British boyfriend," explains the snitch.

  Redmayne, 30, was said to be equally smitten, but he decided not to pursue the romance when Swifty didn't get the part (it went to up-and-comer Samantha Barks, who, like Taylor, dated a Jonas Brother). That meant she wouldn't be joining him in London with the rest of the star-packed cast.

  "Eddie's not interested in a long-distance relationship," sighs the source. "The elements were against them. It's a shame."

  Coincidentally, Swift, 22, surfaced in London late last month, right around the time of her most recent tweet. "Watching tv with my cat while eating Toy Story fruit snacks," she shared. "So basically I'm 80 and 5 at the same time."

  You'll recall that little more than a year ago, Swift reportedly got the heave-ho from Jake Gyllenhaal after a few months of awkward, coffee-fueled coupledom.

  "She's haunted by that relationship. He totally screwed with her mind," a source told Us last month. "The songs on her next album are intimate and revealing. Some are about Jake."

  Redmayne, for his part, was briefly linked to Carey Mulligan in early 2011.

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